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“What the hell does that mean?”
I let out a slow breath and kept working.
“Elena?” he commanded.
I glanced over my shoulder, finally meeting his gaze. “Say what you got to say, Duke.”
He huffed a short laugh, but there was no real humor in it. “Sometimes, I think you forget who the boss is.”
I rolled my eyes and turned back to Riot, running the brush down his flank in slow, steady strokes, keeping my hands busy.
"Your woman was running her mouth about that. Saidshewas my boss." I reached for the hoof pick.
I could feel his eyes on me as I bent down, lifting Riot’s front hoof and scraping out the packed dirt. The stallion shifted, impatient, sensing the tension in the air.
"Easy, boy," I murmured, setting the hoof back down and moving to the other side. "Almost done."
“In some ways, sheisyour boss,” he said softly. “As she’s helping me sell the place.”
“Fine,” I snapped. “Is that it?”
“It’ll wait until you’re done with Riot.” He kept with the soft and gentle, annoying the hell out of me.
I worked in silence, letting Duke stand there like a damn ghost while I checked the stallion over one last time—ran my hands along his legs, adjusted the lead rope, made sure he was settled.
Finally, I gave Riot a solid pat on the neck and stepped back, wiping my hands on my jeans. Then, and only then, did I turn to Duke.
“Yeah?”
He grinned. “Watching you work the horses…it’s different than it used to be.”
“We shootin’ the shit, Duke, or you got something to say?” Impatience flooded my voice. I wanted this man outta my life, ‘cause I wanted this man’s mouth on mine. I wanted…him.
“The land is in your blood,” he continued like I hadn’t just snapped at him. “Not mine anymore.”
I studied him, taking in the way he held himself—not stiff, not rigid, but different. “Nash would disagree.”
Duke nodded once, but whatever moment was between us disappeared with his next words. “Appreciate it.” Then, after a beat, “Since you’re only here a little while, you should probably try to keep things smooth with Fiona.”
My fingers tightened around the stall door handle.
“Smooth,”I echoed.
Duke sighed deeply. “You know what I mean.”
I didn’t get a chance to respond because Cal strolled in, smirking like he already knew something I didn’t, which was his usual posture witheveryone.
“Elena, you tell the bossman about your little dust-up with Fiona?”
Fucking Cal!
“I heard she was here,” Duke said flatly, telling Cal he wasn’t having this conversation.
Well, tough shit because Cal was his own man and didn’t give two hoots about what thebossmanthought. “But did you hear what she said? Thought you might’ve since the whole damn stable did.”
“Elena, explain?” Duke commanded.
This man and his orders. Christ! He and Fiona were made for each other.